*through Gritted Teeth* It Doesn’t Have To Be Perfect, It Just Has To Be Done. It Doesn’t Have To

be busy. busy not checking messages. busy reading those books you never started or finished. busy having a good night of sleep. busy taking care of yourself and your skin. busy moving your body. busy helping your community. busy reflecting on your life and what you can improve. busy doing things aside from the capitalistic viewpoint of “productivity.” busy slowing down.

me in 2O25 ♡

rise of the teenage gig worker

more and more teens are diving into the gig economy—delivering food, freelancing online, or running errands for quick cash. with apps like doordash, fiverr, and instacart, it’s easier than ever to work flexible hours and skip the 9-to-5.

the upside? freedom. they choose when and how much to work, fit it around school, and make money doing things they’re already good at. it’s a taste of independence—and a crash course in time management, communication, and responsibility.

but it’s not all perfect. gigs often lack protections like benefits or job security. and with fewer age regulations, safety and fair treatment can be a concern. that’s why guidance from adults and knowing your rights matters.

still, the gig economy is giving teenagers a new kind of power: to earn, learn, and grow—on their own terms.

It is also v important that people (aka broke ppl like us with the voting power and power of choice) don't just shrug our shoulders as well and go OH that's how the world works.

Yes, that is how it had worked for a long time. But a little awareness on our part and actions can really help too. This is beyond ts.

This is just stupid fucking capitalism. Know ur econ policies of ur states and or nation. Don't let rich ppl glam blind u from things.

End rant. Also taylor love u. TS stans, pls don't come after me peace and love mwah

taylor swift, ticketmaster, and why monopolies kinda suck

so you tried to get eras tour tickets. you sat in that cursed little waiting room, heart racing, snacks untouched, fully prepared to go to war. and then... ticketmaster self-destructed. bots took your spot. resale prices shot up to “sell your kidney on the dark web” levels.

but plot twist: this wasn’t just a tech glitch. it’s economics. specifically: monopoly power. let’s unpack it, swifty-style.

a monopoly is when one company basically owns the whole playground. no competition means they get to:

set the prices stupid high

give you terrible service

shrug when things fall apart

ticketmaster isn’t the only ticketing company technically, but after it merged with live nation in 2010, it gained a whole lot of control over:

the tickets

the venues

even the artists

that’s called vertical integration.

how this turned into the eras tour apocalypse:

demand: 3.5 million+ people signed up

supply: not even close to enough seats

ticketmaster: crashed. burned. bots thrived.

prices: “dynamic pricing” kicked in, aka surge pricing for concerts. seats hit $4k+.

and because they’re so dominant in the market, you didn’t have real alternatives. no other sellers. no options.

technically, it’s legal. but antitrust laws are supposed to stop companies from getting this kind of power. problem is, enforcement is kinda mid.

after the eras disaster, congress actually held a hearing called:

“that’s the ticket: promoting competition and protecting consumers in live entertainment.”

yes. actual senators quoted taylor lyrics in official government docs. this is our timeline.

what this teaches you (besides never trusting ticketmaster):

monopolies = higher prices, worse experiences, no choices

big mergers can quietly make competition disappear

economic policy absolutely affects your real life (even your chance to scream “all too well” live)

kids these days are like “i need chat gpt to write an essay that would normally take 12 hours in 2” but back in my day i did that all the time by using a little technique called “writing some absolute bullshit.” and yet i still walked away with a better essay and more critical thinking skills than i would get if i used chatgpt. write a bad essay that you started on the day it was due, but write it yourself.

I was so afraid of becoming mediocre that I became mediocre anyway. I was so afraid of being mean that I found myself reciting cruelty like a prayer. I was so afraid of being human that I found myself becoming more of a monster each day.

“A healthy relationship is where two independent people just make a deal that they will help the other person be the best version of themselves.”

— Unknown

Adobe is going to spy on your projects. This is insane.